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Step 1
Turn down the light. The biggest enemy of photographs is sunlight. Take them out and look at them, enjoy them, but when you're done, store them in darkness. In addition, provide them with a dry climate. Moisture can wreak havoc on photographs.
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Step 2
Handle antique photographs with care. Thin, cotton archival gloves prevent the salt and acid from your fingers from further damaging the photo's surface. You can't undo the damage from the past but you can start now to treat the photos with care.
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Step 3
Store antique photos in acid-free polypropylene covers. If purchased separately, this can be an expensive way of archiving your photos. Instead, purchase a photo album with clear polypropylene sleeves and use them to store your large antique photographs.
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Step 4
Transfer your precious photos to a digital format. While this does not protect the photograph, itself, it stores the image for the future. A typical scanner can effectively scan the photo into your computer where you can transfer it to a compact disc or upload the images to online photo print services and order duplicates. Plan to scan antique photos only once to minimize exposure to bright light.
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Step 5
Press photos flat when storing. Optimally, your photos should be stored in a horizontal position and pressed. Try putting photos into polypropylene sleeves and inserting them between the pages of large hardbound books. Stack the books flat.
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Step 6
Hire a professional photo restorer to clean and repair your most valuable antique photos. Unless you are experienced in photo restoration, finding a professional is the best choice. You can further damage the surface by attempting to wash off stains (see Resources below for a link).
